Reptile house

L

Lovely Duckling

Member
I have been to Wingham wildlife park and was quite impressed with what they had to offer in terms of snakes, crocs, lizards, turtles etc etc.

How many places offer this experience in the UK?

Where is the best reptile house in the UK to visit?
 
Lovely Duckling said:
I have been to Wingham wildlife park and was quite impressed with what they had to offer in terms of snakes, crocs, lizards, turtles etc etc.
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Can you confirm or deny reports that the collection no longer contains Gray's monitor (Varanus olivaceus) incidentally?

As far as your original question, that would be London Zoo hands-down, with Bristol Zoo in second place.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
Can you confirm or deny reports that the collection no longer contains Gray's monitor (Varanus olivaceus) incidentally?

As far as your original question, that would be London Zoo hands-down, with Bristol Zoo in second place.
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It does appear that there are no longer any of these creatures at Wingham unfortunately.
 
canaryboy said:
I think Drayton has the most species, but I've heard that Durrell and London are really good
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Drayton is nowhere close to having the most,as London have more off-show than they do in the whole Zoo!The best Reptile collection in the UK has to be London followed by Bristol and Cotswold Wildlife Park
 
Oh sorry, I've only been to drayton and that was ages ago. as of durrell, london or cotswold I've never been, there just what I've heard about on zoochat in the past. What can be said is they all have better reptile collections than twycross:p
 
Durrell has relatively fewer species than some, but lots of ex-situ conservation breeding going on, good displays, and a standard of husbandry that could not be bettered. Real quality.
 
For me, whilst London has the biggest reptile collection and all in one location, it's not necessarily the best. If like me you expect to see crocodilians, London these days is a major let down, with only a single specimen on my last visit in march! I wouldn't say a reptile house with 5 or 6 exhibits containing largely 'invisible' gila monsters or beaded lizards is that impressive either. I haven't been to Cotswold or Durrell, but personally I quite like Paignton's reptile collection, though it isn't in a single house.
 
pipaluk said:
...but personally I quite like Paignton's reptile collection, though it isn't in a single house.
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I second Paignton, especially considering their collection of crocodilians. I know it's scattered across the three buildings but it has a great variety of species and some very decent exhibits.
Cotswold and (personally) WMSP have decent collections as well but Bristol have a nice collection and it is extremely well laid out
 
I'd agree with much of what's been said here. Chester is oddly absent from this discussion, considering that it has the only Tuatara in the country, but the overall reptile facilities in the Tropical Realm are in need of an overhaul.
 
At the moment Chester are exhibiting

CROCODYLIA
Spectacled Caiman TROPICAL REALM

RHYNCHOCEPHALA
Common Tuatara TROPICAL REALM

TESTUDINES
Roti Island Snake-necked Turtle AQUARIUM
Annam Leaf Turtle AQUARIUM
Galapagos Giant Tortoise TROPICAL REALM
Radiated Tortoise TROPICAL REALM

SQUAMATA-SAURIA
Lesser Antillean Iguana ISLANDS IN DANGER
Montserrat Spotted Anole ISLANDS IN DANGER
Northern Caiman Lizard TROPICAL REALM
Thailand Water Dragon REALM OF THE RED APE
Mountain Horned Dragon REALM OF THE RED APE
Northern Parson's Chameleon TROPICAL REALM; BUTTERFLY HOUSE
British Sand Lizard SAND LIZARD ENCLOSURE
Rio Fuerto Beaded Lizard TROPICAL REALM
Green Tree Monitor REALM OF THE RED APE
Crocodile Monitor REALM OF THE RED APE

SQUAMATA-SERPENTES
Boelen's Python ISLANDS IN DANGER
Reticulated Python REALM OF THE RED APE
Green Tree Python REALM OF THE RED APE
Banded Mangrove Snake REALM OF THE RED APE
Red-tailed Racer REALM OF THE RED APE
Rhinoceros Ratsnake TROPICAL REALM
San Francisco Garter Snake TROPICAL REALM
Western Gaboon Viper OKAPI HOUSE
White-lipped Pit Viper REALM OF THE RED APE

A new species to go on show soon is Burmese Green-crested Lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) in the Reticulated Python vivarium in Realm of the Red Ape.

There are a lot of reptiles on show at Chester, it just doesn't seem like it.
 
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bongorob said:
At the moment Chester are exhibiting

CROCODYLIA
Spectacled Caiman TROPICAL REALM

RHYNCHOCEPHALA
Common Tuatara TROPICAL REALM

TESTUDINES
Roti Island Snake-necked Turtle AQUARIUM
Annam Leaf Turtle AQUARIUM
Galapagos Giant Tortoise TROPICAL REALM
Radiated Tortoise TROPICAL REALM

SQUAMATA-SAURIA
Lesser Antillean Iguana ISLANDS IN DANGER
Montserrat Spotted Anole ISLANDS IN DANGER
Northern Caiman Lizard TROPICAL REALM
Thailand Water Dragon REALM OF THE RED APE
Mountain Horned Dragon REALM OF THE RED APE
Northern Parson's Chameleon TROPICAL REALM; BUTTERFLY HOUSE
British Sand Lizard SAND LIZARD ENCLOSURE
Rio Fuerto Beaded Lizard TROPICAL REALM
Green Tree Monitor REALM OF THE RED APE
Crocodile Monitor REALM OF THE RED APE

SQUAMATA-SERPENTES
Boelen's Python ISLANDS IN DANGER
Reticulated Python REALM OF THE RED APE
Green Tree Python REALM OF THE RED APE
Banded Mangrove Snake REALM OF THE RED APE
Red-tailed Racer REALM OF THE RED APE
Rhinoceros Ratsnake TROPICAL REALM
San Francisco Garter Snake TROPICAL REALM
Western Gaboon Viper OKAPI HOUSE
White-lipped Pit Viper REALM OF THE RED APE

A new species to go on show soon is Burmese Green-crested Lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) in the Reticulated Python vivarium in Realm of the Red Ape.

There are a lot of reptiles on show at Chester, it just doesn't seem like it.
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Do they not have any komodo dragons left?
 
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